Monday, October 20, 2008

Reader Request

I got a great reader request this weekend...

From Susie:

I have a house exterior decoration question. We live in an adorable tall white Charleston single home with double porches. I need to decorate the outside of both doors (outside the porch and inside) before a girls whine and wine night. I love topiaries but 4??? $$$ Fall themed? Suggestions?

First of all...LOVE the idea of a Whine and Wine night!!! Definitely stealing that idea. I love decorating for fall. There is so much you can do. Problem is...it's pretty limited in terms of carry over to other seasons. Once you hit the Christmas season, the whole orange and yellow theme just doesn't cut it. I definitely understand the quadary of not wanting to spend too much. Here are my thoughts.

I know we've all seen the infamous "Pumpkin Topiary". Now before you all start throwing up in your mouths let's reconsider this option. Yes, it's been overdone. Yes, it's been done very badly. However, I still think it can be done right. If you use the right container and don't OVERDO it, I think the pumpkin topiary can be killer.

I've made one before and the most important piece of advice I can give you is: use fake pumpkins. The real ones are a pain the youknowwhat and they rot before you can say Boo. Here's a neat little diagram from Lowe's and a link to their instructions for constructing your topiary...

Now, here's my take. Why not jazz it up a little but keep it preppy and classy? I LOVE this take with the harlequin painted on...

I also like the addition of the green moss. You could do one of these on each side of the door or just one on one side. I think I actually like it better with just one. Two might be a bit of overkill.

Other cute pics I found of pumpkin topiaries...

You certainly don't have to use three pumpkins, either. I have a large bowl in my dining room and I'm planning to take one large pumpkin, set it on top of the bowl with some moss underneath to pad and add a little color, and stencil our monogram in black onto the face of the pumpkin You could do that with an urn and one pumpkin outside your door instead of the topiary. Less time involved as well...

LOVE these pumpkin ideas...this link from Martha Stewart explains how to carve the pumpkins so they are translucent, and not cut all the way through.

I also found this cute pumpkin from Smith & Hawken. I'm not sure how big it is but you could group it with some other real pumpkins and mums. Plus, it's on sale!

And yes, let's not forget the power of mums. I've never been a huge mum fan, but I do think if you group them well they can be really pretty...this picture is obviously from a wedding, but you can see how cute the mums look in the metal containers...I also love the idea of the pedestal with some pansies or other fall flowers on top. You could also find an inexpensive fiberglass bird bath and place potted pansies and some type of vine in the top with a little spanish moss hanging down.

An idea I love for the actual door is a simple square boxwood wreath hanging on a black ribbon. Add some fake spider webs and stick some plastic spiders in the web and voila! Simple, not overdone, but supercute.

I couldn't find a picture of the wreath I described so I guess I'll just have to make one myself! Pictures coming soon...

So, get creative, have fun and take pictures for me! Just please, please don't succomb to THIS...

I'm feeling like the last topiary in line (a little beaten). Awesome idea for pumpkins! I would think the first few topiaries came out of magazine and the last topiary was from "real Life"! That would be me! Always nice to dream! Sometimes it is easier to purchase what you desire, rather than attempting yourself! I love your blog. Your blog was one of the first sites that I started to read on a daily basis. Please visit mine if you have a chance. I can't seem to update on a daily, but I try to write a little when I have a chance. Totally new at this! Have a great day.

LOVE these topiaries and might just have to put some together this weekend. Also, I know this doesn't have anything to do with this particular post, but I know you're a McCain-Palin supporter, as am I. Here's a link to some interesting commentary about Obama: http://hotair.com/archives/2008/10/21/the-comprehensive-argument-against-barack-obama/

Great decorating ideas! I will be out of town for Halloween so I am not decorating a lot this year. But I will definitely keep the ideas in mind for the future. I love Halloween and I am a little bummed I can't do a lot of decorating. But then again, I get to go to my in-laws house for a week and they will help with the kiddos!! Good trade I think!! Keep the great tips coming!!

These are GREAT ideas. I just wish I could execute them right now! I linked to you today. Hope that is okay....I am "borrowing" an idea of yours. I remember when you spotlighted different blogs. I plan to do that over the next week or two while we are busy moving:)